The true network of individuals required to "get things done" in an organization crosses the organization chart horizontally, and is often far more complex and nebulous than the traditional view. Studies have shown how dramatic these impacts are when key personnel are incompletely communicated with, or are transferred to other positions creating structural holes in the web of relationships.

Influence Mapping is a process for bringing a tangible face to this informal network, and crystallizes where the hubs, spokes and choke points exist. Using the SP/Network™ technology, clients can utilize this information to increase the quality of existing processes such as:

• Succession Planning
• Disaster Planning/Sustainability
• Market Influencing
• Acquisition Impact Analysis
• Corporate Performance Management
  
  

Our thoughts drive our actions. We have two sets of thoughts - those we are comfortable speaking, our External Dialogue, and those we're not, our Internal Dialogue. Our Internal Dialogue might be different to what we say, or may support it but be an important, negative qualifier. In either case, our actions and behavior are always driven by our Internal Dialogue. So, the challenge collaborations of two or more persons face is that they are trying to design action, yet the vital thinking driving action, Internal Dialogue is by definition, difficult to discuss. Catch 22? This is a primary reason that the conversation only approach to designing coordinated action is significantly flawed and after all of the discussion we still don't get the actions and results we expected.

Dialogue Training explains the two core conversation and thinking models at play in all relationships. SP/Align, SP/Solve and SP/Perform are designed to provide technology based vehicles for groups to share their Internal Dialogues at key steps in any collaboration. For those times during the design and implementation of the collaboration when people are interacting, Dialogue Training provides the skills, tools and internet facilities which enable individuals to ensure alignment with their peers, in the moment.

Dialogue Training replaces the tension, stress and inaction of perceived and real misalignment with a crystal clear view of reality and the confidence to productively engage in the parts of 'working with others' which are easier for some to avoid or hope will go away.

Measure enabled all participants to share their core views and opinions on the topic of their collaboration, and understand their degree of alignment.

Maximize accomplished several objectives - clarifying the collaborations' indicators of success, disagreements over underlying assumptions and objectives are resolved, and solutions to barriers to success are designed.

When all of these agreements are translated into a rich scorecard and action roadmap, alignment is 'maximized'. However, several factors will cause alignment to reduce over time:

• Activities external to the collaboration, such as industry change, new customer needs, and competitor actions often shift the landscape in which the collaboration operates
• New people entering the collaboration, with different views and opinions of the subject
• At a minimum, people's views of a topic usually change through 'doing it':
  • There will be different views on the degree to which objectives are being attained,
  • Some participants will feel the original objectives remain valid, others will feel that the goals of the collaboration can or should be adjusted, up or down
  • Others will see new barriers to success as old assumptions are invalidated

Delta Alignment Assessments are used to Maintain maximum alignment throughout the duration of collaborative actions.

A periodic refresh of the degree of alignment, Delta ( as in Difference) Alignment Assessments can be conducted once or twice per year as part of the Program Governance process.

A subset of the most recent Alignment Assessment results (original or Delta), plus pre-defined interview questions designed to surface changes in attitude, are used to measure alignment 'drift' and quantify the participants current views and opinions regarding where the collaboration is, and where it should go.

One-dimensional terms such as "customer" and "supplier" are replaced with network roles providing the platform for identifying each party's value drivers relative to their unique relationship threads.

The RNA will surface innovation opportunities, service and value delivery disconnects. In addition, it will provide clarity to the intent driving behavior, which is often inaccurately interpreted by those on the other side of a relationship.